Vistage International said its confidence index rose to 105.1 in the first three months of 2012 from 98.8 in the final months of 2011.
The index was compiled from a survey in March of more than 1,850 small business chief executives. Hiring plans reached a five-year peak with 57 percent of firms planning to increase jobs, up from 55 percent in the previous quarter. Even so, 84 percent of executives said they've learned to do more with less.
Apple Needs to Make it in America
